Lunar

Chapter 16

Henry burst through my bedroom door, a frantic look strewn across his face.

"Boss," he began, out of breath, "I think there's something you need to see."

"What is –" I stopped, noticing how anxiety-ridden Henry looked – something that rarely ever occurred, "Henry, calm down. Would you care to elaborate at all?" I asked, slipping my feet into my shoes and throwing my jacket around my shoulders.

"I don't – I – I don't know," he stuttered, running his hands through his hair.

I quickly walked over to Henry, more pep in my step than usual, and grabbed his hands out of his hair, to stop him from continuing to pull at it and very softly spoke, "Henry, whatever it is, I'll handle it, pal."

Kellan jumped out of the bed, rubbing his tired eyes and throwing on his shoes, hot on my heels and the three of us ran down the stairs, Henry's sweating hand still gripping onto mine.

I didn't know what to expect but it certainly wasn't the sight before me.

The front door was wide open, Lilly was crouched right in the middle of it, sobbing, and Alec had his arm tightly around her shoulders as a futile attempt to comfort her.

I stopped short in my tracks and cocked my head to the side, trying to make sense of what was in front of me, wondering why Henry was making a big deal out of Lilly crying – she has always been the most sensitive out of the three of us – until the breeze sent a particular metal-like scent towards me. Blood.

Breaking free of the iron grips of Henry holding my hand and Kellan holding my shoulders, I sped over to Lilly and Alec. As soon as I went to speak my breath got caught in my throat and my hand flew over my mouth.

David.

David, the kind boy with whom I made a promise with to come back and get him out of that prison, lay dead on my doormat. The blood from the slit across his neck pooled on the ground beneath him and continued to give him an ever-growing stain on his already-dirty shirt.

"David," I breathed, my voice no more than a light breath.

"Shay," Lilly stood and turned to me, wrapping her arms around my neck and practically hanging on me like a child, sending me stumbling back a couple of inches before I caught myself, "what did we do?"

"Wait," Kellan finally spoke up, "David, as in the boy you guys had to leave behind in the cellars last night?"

"Yes," my voice, once again, only coming out as a whisper, tears sending me a threatening message by making my eyes sting; the look of pain evident on my face as I wrapped one arm around Lilly's shoulders and placed one hand on the back of her head, tangling in her hair, trying to calm her shaking body.

I was never one to get emotional. I have always been the first to put on a tough façade, pull on my big-girl-boots and handle whatever had been thrown at me. But here, right now, I wanted nothing more than to cry over the loss of a young boy I had only spoken to for fifteen minutes. He reminded me so much of my older brother, Peter: too kind for his own good, willing to sacrifice himself for the well-being of others, and too young to have been taken so early.

But, no matter how much I wanted to grieve over the helpful young man who just seemed so genuinely good, now wasn't the time. I spent years conditioning myself on how to run a pack, and that did not include getting emotional when those around me were already clearly distraught.

I cleared my throat, trying to make it feel less heavy, and hoarsely spoke, "C'mon," I pulled Lilly with me to the kitchen table, "let's go sit down."